any "regular working guys" own a 360
 

Hello, all
i am a long time lurker here and the various other exotic websites, i never post b/c honestly i never had anything to ask. Well about 2002 i promised my self a f car before i was 40 i am 31 now. I have been saving a set amount amount seperate from regular savings and expenses etc etc. i own my own business and have a full time job and make decent money for where i live no kids no wife and luckily have a paid for home that i love and is worth a decent sum even in the down turn.

well i had always planed on buying a 360/430 when prices dropped to 110k-120k and i had enough of a down payment (half or more) to pay about 500-700 per month for taxes and insurance and payment. which is about what i have been paying for my last car to ensure i would pay off early. and i also will have 7-8k to set aside for a repair mods unexpected car related things.

thanks to the current prices of exotics, and my business has actualy grown in the last 2 years. it looks like i will reach my goal in the next 12 months. my dilemia is that i look at what i percieve as the usual exotic owner and i dont see people like my self...i see doctors lawyers bankers ceo's etc etc not 9-5 working stiffs like my self lol.

so i just wanted to see if there are any other "regular folks" who are or where in the same postion as i am?

hope i did not offend any one with the "regular guy" comment but i just dont know how else to put it

thanks and sorry for the long first post

I'm regular folks as well. I had a similar goal, pay cash for a Ferrari by the time I was 25. I bought my first F car a 360 in 2005. I'm a business owner and working stiff for sure:) I worked 110hrs a week for my company, office stuff all day, wrench all night. Did that for YEARS.

This was my 360:

http://photos-f.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-...17_2543227.jpg

thanks ryan. i saw you race in texas at tk5 or 6 dont remember ....i actually had a big single 2jzgte sc300 a few years ago....sw aka streetking is my hero lol

Small world! SW and his collection make me sick.... But I guess SW is a "hero" to me too :)

Im a "regular folk" and I have a viper.

I just dont come off "super rich". I didn't go out and buy the expensive clothes, the rolex, all that BS. I bought it because I love cars and like to drive the car.

One thing is having a nice car and one thing is having a nice car and trying to be an illusionist and try to live the life of the super rich.

Its all about how much your willing to pay a month for your car. If you think you can pay $700-900 a month for a car without a problem then I dont see why you cant have a supercar.

As long as your not living in an apartment and you have a daily driver and a garage to keep the car, i dont see the problem.

I was in your same shoes when I bought my viper, I thought a ferrari or lambo would be too much of an overkill since im not "super rich", so I went with the viper. Just like you I have a 9-5 also.

if you think your going to be tight on money then I would buy something with warranty too. Repairs on those cars can add up fast.

my viper I have spent like $6,000 in repairs in the last year, but thats because I modded it a lot and blew a lot of parts.

why do you care about perception for??
maybe stuck up Ferrari owners care about that, but screw em, buy the car of your dreams and DRIVE it.
Driving it alone will have most Ferrari owners looking down at you as they spend their time washing and waxing there car all week to go show it off for an hour or so then head back home once the meet turns into a drive.

I got my Lambo at 22 and in no way at all can measure up to the carrers of others I drive with. Most owners around here are surgens, docs, lawyers, inverstors, etc and all look at me baffeled like I must be a drug dealer or something when I show up. Sometime its a good reaction, sometimes its haters. It doesnt affect me either way and it shouldnt affect you either.

Go after you dream and help get some good down to earth owners in Ferraris instead of the wash cloth up the ass kind that all around now :)

First - Ryan Woon isn't normal folks so disregard his posts!!! (former Supra owner here too)

Second - I had my first Porsche 911 at 23...2 years later, with a fully modded 996TT. Is the perspection bad sometimes? Sure, but you know what, who cares? Use it as a second car and you're fine. There's no rule that says you need to be a lawyer/banker to drive a Ferrari...I don't even know why you are concerned with what ppl will think your job is. You're a business owner...which is respectable...besides, at the end of the day, your character speaks for you anyway...i know this cause i tell the ladies i work at taco bell as the janitor...and u kno what? i always get the digits vs. those who brag about their private jets! hilarious

The biggest trick the devil played on humanity was convincing the world that lawyers make a ton of money. I'm still waiting lol...

My motto is as long as you can pay the mortgage, maintain a great credit score, and save a little, live life to the fullest and spend your money on things that make you happy (whether that be cars, charities, travel, whatever).

I like to think I'm a normal guy
 

It sounds like we are pretty similar. I'm 29 and bought a Gallardo earlier this year, and I'm looking to add a 430 spyder possibly this month. I own my own company and I don't do the normal lawyer, doctor, or investment banker LOL. I don't think any of that matters. It sound like you understand what you are getting into so jump in. I can tell you that maintaining the car is not cheap. In my 8 month of exotic car ownership it has cost me about 10k for new tires, routine services, and a new clutch. As long as you know that these bills are coming I don't see any draw back to enjoying something you have put your self in a positon to have and enjoy. Just be prepared for people to form their own opinions. I constantly get asked if I won the lottery, or if i'm very wealthy. Most people don't understand that its possible to just love cars and make sacrifices in other areas to enjoy nice cars. good luck

I'm 36, make a darn good living... but still can't afford the car of my dreams. lol... I guess I'll have to wait until I'm 46! I'm not disgruntled... actually it's my own fault. I spent way too much time and money on Japanese toy cars (STi and Evo) Someday, I WILL own a 993TT.

+1 add in 401K or IRA, and take care of your family if something happens to you.

I am up to my arms in goo every day does not stop me from buying what I want and can afford. Now I will never go super exotic even though I could propably afford it. Just to much of a American car fan. Maybe a Ford GT when they drop in price but I love my prowlers and vipers currently..

I think if you can afford it comfortably and have another car to drive screw what other people think. I'd love to get a F-car by 30, better work my ass off for the next 4 years.

love ur avatar grendel!!!!!

I am not the sharpest tool in the shed, but I would say wait until you can pay cash for it. When it comes down to it a Ferrari is just a car. There are many cars that you can have fun in and pay cash for. One thing I have learned this year is financing is no way to go. There is no difference between the people paying weekly or monthly. The lending institution is winning either way. Pay yourself the $900 a month and win in the end. The lending institutions want you to have everything yesterday and pay twice as much to them.

Good luck.

Personally I don't think it matters "what" you do, what your title is or where you live, whether it's a house, a mansion, or a apt...AS LONG AS YOU CAN AFFORD IT and the maintenance(Services, repairs, insurance, registration, taxes, gas)and it is your passion, go for it!!!
My passion for cars stemmed since I was a little boy in the 70's as I watched my big bro work on his 76' Pontiac Firebird in the garage or take me on canyon runs in his Jensen Healey...That's when my love affair for cars began and I knew I would ALWAYS want a nice sports car!!!

And years later when I got into college, I lived with roommates, in a rental property and I went to school full time AND worked full time and when my other friends spent all their money on nice clothes, leisure activities and partying, I didn't!
Instead I saved and saved and bought myself a 1 year old pre-owned 93 Porsche 911 C-2 in triple black! Was I pushing it??? YES...but was I happy??? HECK YEAH I was!!!
And yea I got stares and yeah I got comments like, "DADDY'S CAR?"
But you know what??? I LOVED IT and DIDN'T GIVE A CRUD! Because at the end of the day, after parking the car in the garage, I would shut the door, set the alarm, and then take one more look at the baby before going inside and have a feeling of fulfilment that was undescribable...It was like feeling full even if I haven't eaten yet!!! :p
And since then, about 16 years after...I have owned almost every car that I've dreamed of owning! Am I the richest man in the world? Not EVEN CLOSE! Do I lose alot of money than justifiable from depreciation? Probably!:D
Do some people think I'm crazy for going thru cars so quickly? You betcha!
Do I care? NOT!
Why??? Because it is my passion and if I'm going to be working hard to get these hard earned dollars, I think I am entitled to have at least one hobby that will make me happy! As long as I have all my other priorities straight, it doesn't hurt anybody~
Because maybe to someone a $1200 pair of shoes, $180k watch, or a $5000 Cell Phone may make sense... but to me... NOT REALLY!
But I don't knock them because maybe that's their passion...BUT my passion is in cars!!! Different strokes for different folks!!!
My friends used to ask me, "If you had a choice of having a huge house and a mediocre car or have an AWESOME car and live in an apt, what would u choose?" What do you think my answer was?? Right!!! HAHA!:)

So yea, you will always have someone judging you or saying things that you don't want to hear BUT they are all entitled to their opinions and you shouldn't let it get to you and you should never have to justify your passion to anyone! Because that is your prerogative and your forte~

Sorry for the long story but if you want it, whether it's the prancin horse, a stuttgart shield or a raging bull and you CAN afford to pay cash or finance it(either or it's all just a numbers game cuz if you pay cash for this you're probably making payments on something else)... Just GO FOR IT!!!;)
Because in the long haul, you're the one that's paying the notes anyways...not them!!!

That's the ticket!!!! I'm a working man wife is a working wife, we max out our 401k, and spend the rest.

I know too many people that have passed away at 44, 50,56,59,64, life can be harsh. Bar any sort of catastrophe the numbers say we will retire at 55, although I doubt she will (I will;)).

If you can afford it go for it!! Me personally could never own a supercar like a lambo or Ferrari too flashy. I would be paranoid people would mess with it.

I'll take my non exotics cars Porsche, Viper, Z06, GTR, etc.

well put redmurci. i am currently workin on getting my ducks in a row by selling my house in houston and gettin a new one where i am at in louisiana now and once i get all that house stuff out of the way there will definately be a new ride in my future. it is very inspirational to see what you guys have accomplished at such young ages as "regular guys". its threads like this why i love this site so much. not only is it an excellent high performance car site but it also has a wealth of financial planning tips and advice. I have learned soooo much since i joined this site!

ever since i was a freshman in hs my parents promised if i got a full ride to a university they'd give me a year's tuition money towards or to help me get a car of my dreams. 8 years of internships and mowing 3 lawns a weeek i saved enough to put money down on the targa making payments 500 a week, then buying the audi a month later based off the tuition money my parent gave me. all this before 20 :rolleyes:.

then theres the bad side of it when i show up to family meetings in my own targa yeah its the first car, i know i wont appreciate a car of lesser value as much but if you had the chance to get one, you'd do it too. I would have saved more for years and bought a ferrari but its too showy for me.

I'm 17 and just started my senior year in high school and reading this thread has me really excited about the future for me as a car guy. I have what I'm sure is a common goal for myself, to own an Italian masterpiece by the time i turn 30. It's awesome to see all the support that's out there to go after the car of your dreams and never lose sight of it, and that with sacrifices its possible to achieve that sooner than most people may think. Currently I'm trying to get ideas on how to plan financially so that i can get on the right track ASAP (so anyone with some help for a high school student, a PM about this would be great!). I came to this site mostly to learn and see what's out there in the exotic car world, and I've now seen just how much is out there and possible since joining this site.

Just wanted to throw all that out there, and I'm looking forward to the future and wish to all those seeking their dream cars the best of luck which I hope to have in my life later on :)

Okay so Im 25 right now and I just got my own townhouse hmm about a year ago. Use to have my Hummer H3(modded up) parked on the street,my modded 5series in the driveway and my Techart yellow Porsche in the Garage,along with my Honda CBR in the garage also. I use to get looks left and right from my neighbors and asked hey do you own your own car shop or a dealership. I say no I just love cars. Then of course I get the look of if im a drug dealer,Noo heck no. Not a fool to go to jail. I bust my ass and work hard. Yes I financed,brought out,or leased some of my cars but hey as long as you can make the payments and keep up with everything you are good to go! Now im at a point where im trying to obtain my 1st Lamborghini before the age of 30. Ill be 26 next month so I better get going lol. And btw i work 2 jobs that are "regular". Yes I do work in the OR at the hospital but no im not a surg. or doc...I mean hey nurses make good money too! Just my 2cents. Go for what makes ya happy and believe in yourself! Dont listen to other people if they bad mouth ya!

its ridiculous about the drug dealer thing. Every single person sees you driving a porsche and your noticeably young, people label you as a drug dealer. damn, i need more tint :cool:

Union,NJ? Niceee....North Brunswick,NJ here! One of my teams shop is out there...Design Tech.

ive heard of design tech haha but i moved outta there man, you get 10x more stereotypes saying you live in union and driving a targa

this thread is a great read...
 

i've enjoyed all the different perspectives on the dream of owing one of these cars at a young age. my perspective is different--i'm older and have full 'baggage' of a family, house payments, huge tuition bills, etc...but really appreciate the thinking. i had a p car at a pretty young age (86 944 turbo) so got that out of my system. my wife was supportive, and we even had a baby seat in the back buckets (it was a tight fit and we had to shop around a lot to find a good seat that could squeeze in there!). i was fortunate (and was in securities trading back then) to be able to do that when i did.

i've always dreamed of owning a porsche twin turbo, and saw a perfect one on here about 6 weeks ago. while i'm still doing ok, things are different now including the desire to be 'less flashy' given current circumstances generally and tuition bills specifically. i talked about it with my wife and she was pretty upset about the statement that car would make, so i passed. i could afford to buy it but now we have more going on that is relevent, so my 8.5 year old m5 soldiers on..

is there a moral to the story--not really, but if you can afford your dream (i mean really afford it) and it fits the image you want to portray, i'd agree with the others and say go for it! life's too short.....my porsche turbo will be there in a few years i hope.

the drug dealer thing isnt really ridiculous. I'm not calling anyone a drug dealer but just dont be naive. they could be drug dealers or they have once dealt drugs and used the money to open a legitimate business.

Im a "regular working guy" per say, but my goal isn't an F-car, but a P-car. I really emphasize that you can have whatever you want, as long as your family and priorities come first. I say that because I know a few guys that have put their families second to own a "fast, cool ride". They live in apt's that are crap, and concentrate all their time/efforts/money on a car. While it works for them, I just cant see the justification in putting their families and priorities second.

For all you young guys out there make sure you get your priorities straight. I too am in love with cars but it is most important to have a home firsthilariousEspecially now real estate is a great investment long term, prices are great. I am a 31 years old and have had many exotics but through the past 7 years I have made moves in real estate and have made a lot of money on each home I have owned. Cars depreciate,and fast, so be careful Example, I know a friend that has an M6 and lives with his parents....:rolleyes: not cool. I know its hard to do but use the cash for a down payment on a house first....smarter move long term;)

To the original poster, you've done a fantastic job managing your income and expenses. You set out to accomplish a goal and will achieve it shortly. Good on you!

I couldnt disagree more with everything you have to say.
First, I bought my Lambo when I was living at home at 22 and only kick myslef for not doing it sooner. I now own my own home and it is by far the dumbest thing I ever did. I NEVER wanted to be a home owner, but when prices tanked I bought a home at a great price in a nice prentious pompous neighborhood in the "rich" area of town. I also bought probulay the worst house in the neighborhood so Im surrounded by snobs whos main focus in their life is keeping up with the Jones and entire self worth seems to be on showing up each other homes while I couldnt give two ****s about my own, and boy do they love that hilarious
as far as "investment" thats a huge joke. Getting past the equity thing vs throwing your money away with an apt, you are throwing even more away with a home. Property tax, when you need a new roof, when the AC ****s out, when the fridge takes a crap, when the sump pump goes bad, when the toilet backs up, maintance on the lawn, tress, shrubs, etc., painting the house, HOA dues, and on and on and on and on some more. Its an endless money pit, then when you work all week to pay the mortgage you get to work all weekend keeping the house clean, mowing the lawn, making it look nice like the neighbors etc. A home slowly kills your soul, a car may depreciate, but the joy and passion it fills you with is something you can never put a price on.

Further more, great you bought a say 400k home and after so many years its now worth 550k. You sell it to "move up", but all the homes you want to move up to have now gone up in value too, on top of that after all your prop taxes and endless expenses what ever is left now goes to the realitor and her 6-7% commission, so you either lost money or made next to nothing for all your risk, time, effort, etc.
In the end you should only own a home if you abosultly must (such as a large family) or it is your passion and you know what youre in for.

spend your money on cars if thats what makes you happy, dont follow anyones BS rules of how to live your life.

I made the best of it by getting roomies, so ALL of my expenses are covered and I can go back to putting all my funds towars more cars :D
next up a CGT, and that may be here next month :cool:
now isnt that more fun than wasting your life to have glorified place to eat, sleep, and poop?

btw, all my neighbors think Im a drug dealer too, and Im for real about that. A friend of mine is friends with a lady in the next neighborhood over and told him how they all talk in detail about me being one hilarious
or Im a "rich daddys boy" :rolleyes:
I couldnt give two ****s less, I just let them think what they want :)

Going back and fourth between a house and a dream car recently, I like the way you think.

you didnt have to quote the entire rant hilarious

btw, want to rent a room? hilarious

As long as one makes there own money nobody should care how they spend it.

Obviously most 6speeders are car fanatics but seriously, renting an apt and having multiple exotics out front is GHETTOhilarious. I'm just saying.....

then rent one with garages ;)

I agree Zinger, but I wouldn't say it's ghetto. I would say it's stupid in terms of the long run. In Cali at least, all those home improvements another member mentioned can be written off on your taxes when you sell the house. Don't make someone else's house payment by renting. Buy a house first.

Dont take this the wrong way, but if you can afford a Lambo at age 22, you aren't really a "regular working guy"

Feel free to prove me wrong and no offence ment but.. for you to afford that you would have either worked very hard since you left school or you have had help. Now you said you where still living at home, so i take it you probably aren't paying for food or rent etc and you parents are fairly well off, which probably means you had a little help with it, maybe not directly for the lambo but for everything else so you could save up for the lambo.

As i said not being an ass but i dont think anyone who can afford those sorts of cars under 25 or 30 can be classified as a 'regular working guy'

With those comments, I think you're more apt to offend the doctors and lawyers who put in 80 hour weeks for 48 weeks/year.

As for perception buy the damned car and enjoy it. If you're really worried about it, get a personalized plate that says "NOGSMNY".

no offence taken

I grew up on welfare and food stamps because my dad didnt feal the need to get a job for 22 years. He finally got a part time job 2 years ago, so I take no pitty on him. Hes where he is because of his laziness and is on his own as far as Im concerned. I got no real help at all, and Im damn glad I didnt. I cant stand seeing kids on here going to 30k+ a year colleges and mommy and daddy are buying them new Bimmers. I did pay rent, which also covered food and was essentually my dads *****/slave where any free time I had he found busy work for me to do while he slept on the couch.

you would be surprised how much you can save when you are a miser and work all the time :D

OT, Auctung I'm assuming it was your 6.0 at the Artomobilia recenty?

yup, wasnt I sexy :D

and how the hell did a 288 win!??! :confused:

Car looked great. I looked around to see if I could spot who you were but no luck.